Spool container



July 22, 1969 B. G. BRADBURY 3,456,781

SPOOL CONTAINER Filed sept. 14, 1967 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent OF 3,456,781 SPOOL CONTAINER Bernard G. Bradbury, 100 Estates Drive, Butte Creek Estates, Chico, Calif. 95926 Filed Sept. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 667,726 Int. Cl. B65h 55/02, 75/02; B65d 85/04, 85/66 U.S. Cl. 206-52 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to special purpose containers of the type adapted to receive and store recording tape.

Several types of holders for tape and the like are known in the prior art. However, the present invention provides a simpler, more durable, and more easily manufactured container for spools. It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved spool container.

SUMMARY The present invention comprises, in its exemplary embodiment, a receptacle having pegs therein with a movable cover mounted by a spring clip hinge and a backing plate, the spring clip hinge and the backing plate being secured to the receptacle by a protuberance unitarily formed thereon.

It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide a spool container which includes a receptacle having a unitarily formed peg therein and a hinged cover.

A further object is the provision of a spool container having a peg for containing each of a plurality of spools in the container and a hinged cover therefor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a spool container having a receptacle and a hinged cover wherein the hinge is a spring clip which is secured by means of a resilient protuberance on the receptacle portion.

A further object is the provision of a backing member especially constructed and adapted for receiving a label on the back thereof and being secured in place by means of the resilient securements on the receptacle.

A specific construction shown in the drawing and described hereinafter constitutes an additional and specific object of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE l is a top plan view of the container of this invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged view of the lower left-hand comer of the cover of this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially along line 3 3 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the hinge of this invention taken substantially along line 4*4 of FIGURE l, looking in the direction of the arrows.

3,456,781 Patented July 22, 1969 ice In its exemplary embodiment, the present invention comprises a receptacle indicated at 10 which is generally rectangular in shape as shown in FIGURE 1 and which comprises a bottom as shown at 1'2 in FIGURE 4 and the side walls 14. On the rear wall there is formed a protuberance 16 which extends outwardly therefrom. The protuberance may preferably have a shoulder or enlarged head 20 thereon and, in the preferred embodiment, is split as indicated at 22 in the center.

The receptacle further contains a plurality, or a't least one, peg extending upwardly into the interior of the receptacle indicated at 24. The peg 24 is formed integrally with the container and may be hollow as indicated at 26 if desired or may include a sharpened point as indicated at 28.

A cover 30 is provided which as indicated at 32 may include a decorative imitation leather appearance. A lip 34 extends from the front edge thereof 'to permit easy grasping of the cover and opening of the container. A pair of hinges 36 and 38, hinge 38 being shown in greater detail in FIGURES 2 and 4, are provided for hinging the cover to the receptacle. The hinge includes a spring clip 40 which has an arcuate portion and a flat apertured portion shown at 42. The arcuate portion receives a cylindrical portion of the cover shown at 44 resiliently therein. An opening 45 is provided adjacent the round cylindrical portion 44 to permit movement of the lid relative to the cover.

A small protuberance 44a is preferably formed upon the cylindrical portion 44 such that when the lid 30 is lifted, thereby rotating the cylindrical portion 44 in the clip 40, the protuberance 44a tends to eXp-and the clip 40. The protuberance 44a, as shown in FIGURE 4, is disposed such that when the lid is completely closed the spring clip 40 is not expanded whereas only a slight opening of the lid tends to expand the spring clip 40 as the protuberance 44a moves into the circular portion of the clip 40. Thus, there is a resilient force exerted by the spring clip 40 tending to push the protuberance 44a out of the circular portion thereof and in so doing tending to hold the lid 30 in the closed position and to return it to the closed position.

There is further provided a backing member 46 which includes an aperture and a recess shown at 48. The backing member is grooved at 50 for receiving a label 52 therein.

The protuberance 16 is preferably unitarily formed with the bottom 12 and is made of a resilient or semiresilient plastic material such as vinyl, or the like. The protuberance is slotted as at 22 to provide additional flexibility and resiliency. The slotting permits the enlarged head 20 to pass through the aperture in the spring clip portion 42 and through the aperture into the recess 48 of the backing member to thereby `secure the backing member and the spring clip in place on 'the rear of the bottom receptacle portion. Similarly, the pegs 24 are formed unitarily, in the preferred embodiment. with the bottom.

It will be apparent that the container is extremely simple in construction, very easily fabricated, is rugged and very convenient in use.

The provision of the groove for the label is an important feature of the invention.

'Ihe method of hinging the cover onto the receptacle of the invention is a very important feature of the invention in that it permits each of the components to be manufactured individually and the entire container to be assembled without any specialized tools. Indeed, no tools at all are required. All that is necessary is that the spring clip be made to slide over the cylindrical portion 44, starting at the edge of the cover, and that the protuberance 16 be resiliently forced through the aperture in the spring clip and in the backing member 46. This completes the assembly in two simple steps.

In addition to its economy in manufacture, the container of this invention is highly useful because of the sturdy rigid character of the construction. This protects the spools of magnetic recording tape, movie film or the like, from damage due to exposure to sunlight, unwinding, or excessive handling. Dust and foreign matter are prevented from coming in contact with the tape, lm or stored wound material of any type.

It will be realized that while the invention has been abstracted, summarized and disclosed with reference to a specific embodiment of the invention, departure therefrom may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A tape spool container which comprises:

a bottom portion which is shaped to form a receptacle;

at least one upwardly extending retaining peg in the bottom portion secured thereto for being received by the center hole of a tape spool to thereby tix the position of the spool in the receptacle;

a movable cover for the receptacle;

at least one hinge mounting the cover for hinged movement along one edge of the receptacle and the cover comprising:

a spring clip having a relatively flat apertured portion secured to the bottom portion and an upwardly extending arcuate portion; and

a generally circular portion formed integrally with the cover, said circular portion being received in the arcuate portion of the spring clip;

a backing plate comprising:

an elongated member having a groove formed therein on the exterior portion for receiving a label, said.

plate having at least one aperture therein; and

a protuberance on the bottom, said protuberance having an enlarged head and being resilient to permit said enlarged head to be forced through the aperture in the spring clip and the aperture in the backing plate for simultaneously locking the backing plate and the spring clip to the bottom.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein:

the protuberance is slotted longitudinally to permit inward resilient collapsing movement to permit the head to pass through a relatively smaller opening; and

the protuberance extends through the aperture in the spring clip and the aperture in the backing plate to secure both to the bottom.

3. The container of claim 2 wherein the bottom is formed of molded plastic and the peg is integrally formed therewith.

4. The container of claim 3 wherein the hinge further comprises:

a protuberance formed on the generally circular portion, said protuberance being normally disposed out of engagement with the arcuate portion of the spring clip and being so disposed that upon opening of the cover the protuberance engages the arcuate portion of the spring clip thereby causing said spring clip to resiliently urge the cover to the closed position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,395,323 11/121 Wofford 40-23 2,509,841 5/1950 Rose.

3,107,783 10/1963 Corey et al.

3,338,464 8/ 1967 Callihan et al 40-312 3,340,997 9/1967 McCreery et al 20652 3,381,916 5/1968 Edgell 206-52 FOREIGN PATENTS 428,819 5/1935 Great Britain.

OTHER REFERENCES Modern Packaging, November 1963, page 14.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 220-31 

